How to Say "Good Night" in Greek

καληνύχτα

kalinýchta/ka.liˈni.xta/

In Greek, "good night" is said as καληνύχτα (kalinýchta).

καληνύχτα is used exclusively as a farewell when people are parting for the evening or going to sleep. It is not used as a greeting upon arrival.

Meaning: a farewell (phrase)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is a compound of καλή (good) and νύχτα (night).

While καληνύχτα is a farewell, the phrase καλημέρα (good morning/day) can be used as both a greeting and a farewell during the day.

The romanization is kalinýchta. The pronunciation is /ka.liˈni.xta/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.

Greek children are often told με το Θεό (with God) alongside καληνύχτα as a traditional blessing before sleep.
The term νύχτα is the root for the English word 'nyctalopia', which describes night blindness.
The word νύχτα in καληνύχτα shares a distant root with the English word 'night', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European term for darkness.

Θέλω να της πω καληνύχτα.
I want to tell her good night.
Tatoeba #5568315 by Zeus, translation #3908374 by CH
Θέλω να του πω καληνύχτα.
I want to tell him good night.
Tatoeba #5568316 by Zeus, translation #3908373 by CH
Θέλω να τις πω καληνύχτα.
I want to tell them good night.
Tatoeba #5568318 by Zeus, translation #3908372 by CH
8 more sentences on Tatoeba

Kyriaki and Nikos are saying goodbye before going to sleep.

Κυριακή Kyriaki

Ήταν μια πολύ ωραία μέρα.
Ítan mia polý oraía méra.
It was a very nice day.
Νίκος Nikos

Ναι, συμφωνώ απόλυτα.
Nai, symfonó apólyta.
Yes, I completely agree.
Κυριακή Kyriaki

Τώρα πρέπει να κοιμηθούμε. Καληνύχτα, Νίκο!
Tóra prépei na koimithoúme. Kalinýchta, Níko!
Now we must sleep. Good night, Nikos!
Νίκος Nikos

Καληνύχτα και σε σένα, Κυριακή.
Kalinýchta kai se séna, Kyriáki.
Good night to you too, Kyriaki.

Sources

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